James Doggett was born in Santa Rosa, California to William and Thelma Doggett. The second of three children, the first sign that Jim’s life would be exceptional may have been when, at the age of four, he survived being run over by a truck with no harm except a tire track bruise across his belly.
He spent his youth in Santa Rosa, San Francisco, Walnut Creek, and San Anselmo, where he graduated from Tamalpais High School, having mastered the arts of correctly cuffing never-to-be-washed blue jeans, and using popular slang such as “real dark green” for something particularly cool. Jim was happy to remind his children that because he grew up in what was designated an agricultural area, he had gotten his driver’s license when he was 14.
Following high school, Jim went to community college and then to UC Berkeley, where he met Muriel Kazerman, whom he would eventually marry. Jim served in the Army in Texas, Alabama, and New York, during the Korean War. While in Texas he drove tanks, and in order to escape the barracks, he asked Muriel to come and marry him there.
While stationed in Alabama, Jim and Muriel had their first child, Valerie. When Jim finished his enlistment, the family returned to California so Jim could complete a bachelor's degree in Agricultural Engineering at UC Davis. William (Bill), their second child, was born at this time.
Jim began his career working for FMC, first in San Jose, then in Indiana, then back in San Jose, designing incubators, egg washers, grapefruit segmenting machines, and the like. While in Indiana, James (Jim) Jr. was born.
Jim left FMC to work at what was then the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory and the family moved to Livermore in 1962. Jim and Muriel happily settled into life in Livermore, and became very active in civic life, working on political campaigns, supporting the arts and being involved in their children’s lives, education, and activities.
Jim was one of the founding members of the A-Crew, a group that provided labor, design and building skills for countless community projects including the refurbishment of LARPD’s Barn, the Livermore Cultural Arts Festival and Livermore Art Association shows. Recently as a member of Livermore Rotary, Jim contributed to the construction of the gazebo in Carnegie Park by cutting the beams to the precise angles required in his home shop.
At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Jim left agricultural engineering for mechanical engineering, supporting a virtual alphabet of energy-related projects from MFTF-B to ITER, the International Fusion Research Project for which he was the U.S. lead engineer at the time of his retirement.
While in Livermore, Jim and Muriel gave birth to their fourth child, Leslie.
Jim loved to build things, from dollhouses to mountain cabins to kayaks. To Jim, it wasn’t a good project until you’d bled on it, and it always required the purchase of a new tool. His woodshop is proof that he lived out this creed. He was always happy to help anyone with their own projects, as long as you proved that you were serious about it by drawing him a picture. Of all the things he designed and made, the cabin at Cabbage Patch was undoubtedly his favorite. The cabin was a labor of love in every way, designed by Jim and erected by family and friends.
One memorable moment in Jim’s life was when he proved that his luck with motor vehicles had waned since he was four when, in 1978 while riding his bicycle, he was hit by a car, breaking his leg in multiple places. Although he spent two years in a cast, it didn’t stop him from devising ways to drive a manual transmission truck, ride a bike with his crutches across the handlebars or attach wheels and even cross-country skis to his cast.
During his life Jim became something of a mosquito expert. Appointed by the City of Livermore to serve on the board of directors for the Mosquito Abatement District where he faithfully served for 44 years in that role.
After 34 years of marriage, Jim’s wife, Muriel, died from cancer. Jim was a very lucky man, he found love in his life again with Barbara Ehlert Doggett. While they were married, he found companionship, fun and joy in their shared happy life for 27 years. They travelled the world together, enjoyed the theatre, community groups, evenings with friends all while supporting all of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was never one to miss volleyball matches, soccer games in the rain, track meets in the blazing sun or a 2-year old's dance recitals.
This extended family also included many others who were drawn into the fold even if not tied by blood. The home they made on Edwards Lane has been a haven of hospitality and the site of many celebrations including family reunions, giant Thanksgiving feasts, weddings, graduation parties, pool parties, sports banquets for both high schools and countless convivial cocktail parties and meals.
Jim died on April 7, 2022, surrounded by his wife, sister, children and many cousins.
Jim is survived by his wife, Barbara, his sister Shelly Jeffries, his children and their spouses, Valerie and Rick Morrow, Bill Doggett, Jim and Michelle Doggett, and Leslie Doggett and Kevin Smith, Stepchildren Robin Bonaccorsi, Paul, and Laura Bonaccorsi, as well as ten grandchildren and their spouses, five great-grandchildren, and many, many cousins.
There will be a celebration of life for Jim Doggett on- Saturday April 30, at 12:30 p.m. at 2926 Edwards Lane, Livermore. Please come and share stories and we will lift a glass to a life well lived.
Callaghan Mortuary is honored to be serving the Doggett family. An online guestbook is available for condolences at www.callaghanmortuary.com.
